Located a stone’s throw from the Tower of London, the stunning Wilton’s Music Hall – a trip in itself – will be hosting a modern spin on a timeless tale, Starcrossed, directed by Philip Wilson, from 1st through to the 25th June 2022. 

House Capulet and House Montague are at war. 

Verona, plagued by rapiers and daggers, is a city divided as two great houses plot against each other. In the midst of violent streets, two unlikely beings from opposite sides find each other against all odds. Prepare yourself though, where once we gazed upon Romeo as he in turn gazed up to Juliet, we now watch a different, though equally tragic, tale of forbidden love. 

At first, the Starcrossed moves through the story as expected: free-spirited Mercutio, loyal and true friend to Romeo, suggests that they gate-crash Capulet’s party. In this case though, it is Romeo who bounds off, leaving the drunken Mercutio to take the spotlight. And who should stumble upon him but none other than The Prince of Cats, Tybalt?

True to the original (sort of), the leads of the play are drawn to one another, smitten, each in awe of the other. A forbidden love separated by a family feud and people accidentally dying.

Of course, the fateful lovers being two men means that their love isn’t forbidden over some silly rich people spat but by the unaccepting homophobic society – yes, that old chestnut. 

Mercutio is seemingly only out of the closet to best bud Romeo, while boasting of his conquests to any he needs to hear it. Likewise, Tybalt frets over his place with God, as the two will-they-won’t-they into their own untimely demise. These violent delights have violent ends, as they say.

Tybalt stands stern and disciplined when in company but The Prince of Cats becomes Mercutio’s “Kitten” when the two are alone. The loving direction (by Philip Wilson) of Mercutio and Tybalt makes the characters all the more relatable to a gay audience and refreshing to your run-of-the-mill Shakespeare aficionado. 

“My presence shall be but a dream.” – Tybalt

If everything you know about Romeo and Juliet is listed on Leo’s IMDB, then you might find the idea of Shakespeare on stage a little daunting. These are characters that have been applauded for centuries but how true to form are the Starcrossed renditions?

Shakespeare’s Tybalt was a big old negative Nancy – driven by honour, duty, legacy – prowling about Verona looking for men to poke with his sword. Writer Rachel Garnet morphs the character into a loveable cocktail of anger issues shaken with daddy issues, garnished with a flair of latent homosexuality. She explores how much more Mercutio has to offer other than mincing around with a witty spring in his step, regaling us all with song.

“Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance.” – Mercutio

Based on the source material, Garnet has expertly added an extra layer to both Mercutio and Tybalt, while ensuring we see the characters carrying on in true Shakespearean fashion with midnight gardens, secret rendezvous and some questionable plotting skills. 

With a three man cast for the entire production, the star crossed lovers Mercutio and Tybalt are played by Connor Delves and Tommy Sim’aan respectively. All other roles are taken on by actor Gethin Alderman as The Player. As hilarious as he is cringe, the theatre eagerly await Alderman whether he schemes as the twisted lecher Salvatore, prances around as the pompous Paris, or even wooed us with a brief spell as the doomed Juliet. 

Starcrossed is as innovative as it is classic and as funny as it is tragic. With a run from 1st – 25th June at the Wilton Music Hall, it is one not to be missed this Pride month.